Gene Sauers returned to the winner's circle at a PGA Tour event for the first time in 13 years after holding off a host of players at the Air Canada Championship.

The 40-year-old, playing without a PGA Tour card, earned his third career title by shooting a two-under-par 69 at the Northview Golf and Country Club, Surrey.

His 72-hole total of 15-under-par 269 was just good enough for his first PGA Tour win since 1989.

Sauers claimed the 1986 Bank of Boston Classic and 1989 Hawaiian Open but lost his Tour card in 1995 and has been toiling on the Buy.com Tour ever since.

The victory in this tournament gives him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

It also netted him 630,000 US dollars - more than he has won in any year since he turned professional in 1984.

Steve Lowery missed an eight-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole and ended up a stroke behind Sauers on 14-under at 270, and had to settle for his third runner-up finish in his last six starts.

Robert Allenby of Australia played with Sauers in the final threesome but managed only a 70 and tied Fiji's Vijay Singh and Craig Barlow on 271.

Allenby tied for second last week at the NEC Invitational.

Barlow, the 36-hole leader, stepped onto the 18th green one stroke off the pace but three-putted for bogey.

Tom Scherrer was alone in sixth at 272, a stroke better than David Gossett and Aussie Peter Lonard.

Collated final round scores from the USPGA, Air Canada Championship, Northview Golf and Country Club, Surrey:

269 Gene Sauers 69 65 66 69

270 Steve Lowery 67 67 68 68

271 Craig Barlow 67 65 71 68, Vijay Singh (Fij) 70 69 67 65, Robert Allenby (Aus) 71 62 68 70

272 Tom Scherrer 68 69 70 65

273 David Gossett 67 66 72 68, Peter Lonard (Aus) 66 67 68 72

274 John Senden (Aus) 68 70 70 66, Harrison Frazar 68 68 72 66, Darren Clarke (Gbr) 72 67 66 69

275 Kevin Sutherland 67 67 69 72, Frank Nobilo (Nzl) 69 71 70 65

276 Michael Clark II 71 68 72 65, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 69 71 68 68, Fred Funk 68 69 70 69, Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) 68 69 69 70

277 Ben Crane 67 71 70 69, Matt Peterson 70 67 69 71, Mike Standly 71 68 67 71, Stephen Ames (Tri) 68 67 72 70, Joel Edwards 68 69 69 71

278 Tim Clark 70 68 68 72, Stephen Gangluff 69 67 71 71, Glen Hnatiuk 68 72 71 67, Brandt Jobe 69 71 66 72, Carlos Franco (Par) 68 68 70 72, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 66 70 71 71, Blaine McCallister 68 67 70 73

279 Graeme McDowell 68 72 70 69, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 72 67 71 69, Jeff Brehaut 68 71 71 69, Paul Stankowski 68 70 70 71, Dennis Paulson 71 70 70 68

280 J.J. Henry 67 71 69 73, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 68 67 71 74, Mike Springer 73 66 74 67, Mark Calcavecchia 68 69 70 73, Joe Durant 71 67 69 73, Kelly Gibson 70 69 70 71, Gabriel Hjertstedt (Swe) 69 72 69 70

281 Tripp Isenhour 71 66 71 73, John Riegger 71 70 69 71, Bryce Molder 72 68 74 67, Michael Long (Nzl) 73 67 71 70, Chris Riley 68 68 73 72, Esteban Toledo (Mex) 67 71 71 72, Tommy Tolles 67 69 73 72, Grant Waite (Nzl) 69 71 71 70, Jonathan Kaye 68 72 69 72, Shaun Micheel 70 70 73 68

282 Kent Jones 70 67 72 73

283 Stephen Allan (Aus) 68 70 73 72, Briny Baird 72 69 69

73, Phil Tataurangi (Nzl) 69 70 70 74, Jay Delsing 68 72 75 68, David Frost (Rsa) 65 72 71 75, Tim Herron 71 70 71 71, Scott McCarron 71 68 74 70

284 Dean Wilson 69 71 71 73, Olin Browne 73 68 70 73, Jim McGovern 67 68 71 78

285 Garrett Willis 72 67 74 72, Mike Weir (Can) 68 72 74 71, Scott Gump 66 73 73 73

286 Brian Henninger 69 69 77 71

287 Ian Leggatt 70 71 75 71, Robert Gamez 71 69 75 72, Dicky Pride 71 69 73 74

288 Brian Bateman 72 67 73 76, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 70 67 81

290 Jeff Gove 67 69 78 76, Eduardo Herrera (Col) 70 67 78 75, Luke Donald (Gbr) 69 72 75 74, Jeff Gallagher 71 70 74 75, Tom Pernice Jr 74 67 74 75

294 Dave Barr (Can) 71 70 80 73